2016 Lights Shootout

The Volt 1600 has the same form factor as the Volt 1200 but is 30% brighter.

The Volt 1600 has the same form factor as the Volt 1200 but is 30% brighter (click to enlarge).​

Editor's Note: This article is part of Mtbr and RoadBikeReview's 2016 Bike Lights Shootout. See the 2016 Mtbr Headlights Index and the RoadBikeReview Commuter Lights Index.

The Lowdown: CatEye Volt 1600

Surpassed last year the by the Lezyne Mega Drive and Light & Motion Taz 1500, CatEye upped its output from 1200 Lumens to 1500 Lumens this year. It still uses the same reliable chassis and mounting.

Price has gone up a hair to $220, but it is still a fair deal for such a powerful, high-quality light. 2-hour runtime is quite good but the implied bonus is at a very useable 800 Lumens and a 4 hour runtime.

Claimed Lumens: 1600 LumensMtbr Lux: 144
Measured Lumens: 1585 LumensMounted weight: 257 grams
Lumens per $: 7.20 LumensCategory: Headlight
Lumens per gram: 6.17 LumensPrice: $220
Run time on high: 2:00 HoursRating:
4.5 Flamin' Chili Peppers
4.5 Chilis-out-of-5
Stat Box


Pluses

Minuses
  • Small package with 1585 measured Lumens
  • The light can get hot
  • $220 price is competitive for this power
  • Mount is a bit dated
  • 4-hour output at 800 Lumens is excellent
  • Beam should be wider

Full Review: CatEye Volt 1600

The Volt 1600′s controlled, square shaped beam pattern is its strong point, as not too much light is wasted on top unlike other lights when there is a full, round beam that shoots up in to the sky. But the square is not ideal either, as a rectangle is preferred to put more light on the sides or periphery. For lights of this power, it's ideal to have a very wide beam to allow the rider to see the trail periphery well.

It uses two XML LEDs to form a nice rectangular beam pattern.

It uses two XML LEDs to form a nice rectangular beam pattern (click to enlarge).​

The enemy of this light is heat, as there is not a lot of heat sinking available and the light can heat up rather quickly. As it heats up, the light gets dimmer to protect the LED. Even after we cooled it down with a powerful fan, the Volt 1600 stepped up in brightness but very, very slowly. In warmer conditions or rides where the rider is not moving the whole time, the rider will not get as much light from the Volt 1200. It will start out very bright and dim down as the light gets hot.

So as this light gets brighter, temperature management and heat sinking are staying put. One notices the heat when not providing enough airflow and touching the switch on the light.

Continue to page 2 for the beam pattern and Lumen measurement »

It's a legitimate 1600 Lumen output.

It's a legitimate 1600 Lumen output.​

Beam Pattern Photo

We photographed the lights in the same location setting with the same camera settings. The photo was taken in the back yard that is approximately 25 yards long. The backyard beam pattern allows you to gauge the throw and the width of the light. Compare all Beam Patterns here »

CatEye Volt 1600 Lumen Measurement

Integrating Sphere Measured Lumens

This light measured 1585 Lumens in an integrating sphere. Claimed Lumens by the manufacturer is 1600 Lumens. The Lumen-hour graph below shows how the light performs over the first three minutes of its battery cycle. Compare all Lumen Tests here »

Weight is 257 grams which is excellent for its Lumen output.

Weight is 257 grams which is excellent for its Lumen output (click to enlarge).​

The small, CatEye standard mount still continues to do the job with its plastic strap and knob adjustor. It holds the light well enough, but it has to be tightened securely to eliminate any shake from this light head. No helmet mount is included but other 'pipe' type mounts from other manufacturers can be used with this light. If there are two lights in use by the rider, this 1600 is best used on the bars mated with a Volt 800 on the helmet.

We still love the Volt lights and our key suggestion is to make the beam wider as the Lumen output increases to these 1600 Lumen levels.

For more information visit cateye.com.

This article is part of Mtbr and RoadBikeReview's 2016 Bike Lights Shootout. See the 2016 Mtbr Headlights Index and the RoadBikeReview Commuter Lights Index.